The invention concerns a closure apparatus for motor vehicle fuel tanks.
Normally, such an apparatus encompasses a tank cap, which is generally secured in the manner of a bayonet connection on the filling opening of the tank intake pipe. The filling hole as well as the tank cap are placed in a compartmentalized, lidded compartment of the vehicle body, here called the "recess". A disadvantage of the conventional arrangement is the necessity of manually opening and closing the tank cap upon filling. In particular, with diesel fuels, the tank cap is often dirtied, so that only by the use of gloves can a soiling of the hands be avoided. Further, the possibility exists that a tank cap is not correctly restored on the filling pipe and consequently the smell of fuel enters the vehicle interior. Also, an incorrectly replaced cap can be lost during travel. Finally, after tanking up, a cap can be left behind at a filling station. If this occurs, then liquid fuel can splash out of the filling pipe.